UFO seen as comet in 1959 in Virginia

Summary

A witness in Alexandria, Virginia, reported in 1959 an aerial phenomenon resembling a bright comet. The object, seen for 5 seconds, was orange-yellow in color that shifted to blue-green. It moved in a straight line from west to northwest and, at the end, broke into smaller parts. The witness, a man with meteorological and engineering training, described the event as the re-entry of an artificial satellite into the atmosphere. His account was corroborated by multiple similar calls in the area, suggesting a real phenomenon rather than an individual error. The sighting was officially recorded and considered a possible natural explanation, though the possibility of an unidentified object was not completely dismissed.